Kim Hart, Axios; Facebook patent tries to guess users' socioeconomic status
"A new patent from Facebook describes a system that would use data points it collects on the user — like education, travel history, the number of devices owned, and homeownership — to predict their socioeconomic status. The patent was spotted by CBInsights.
Why it matters: The social network, which is already coming under fire for knowing too much about its users, could use such a system to better target ads and content to specific audiences."
Friday, February 2, 2018
Thursday, February 1, 2018
GDPR is coming. Here are four simple steps to help you prepare; Wired, January 4, 2018
Matt Burgess, Wired; GDPR is coming. Here are four simple steps to help you prepare
"If you've made it this far without hearing of GDPR, or don't know where to start with preparing for its obligations, we've put together a few simple steps to get you started. GDPR is a dense piece of law so these shouldn't be treated as an all-encompassing list of actions to get you underway."
"If you've made it this far without hearing of GDPR, or don't know where to start with preparing for its obligations, we've put together a few simple steps to get you started. GDPR is a dense piece of law so these shouldn't be treated as an all-encompassing list of actions to get you underway."
Tech Giants Brace for Europe’s New Data Privacy Rules; New York Times, January 28, 2018
Sheera Frenkel, New York Times; Tech Giants Brace for Europe’s New Data Privacy Rules
"Ms. Jourová said as the new rules take effect, countries outside Europe could begin demanding similar data protection measures for their citizens.
“There will be a moment, especially as more and more people in the U.S. find themselves uncomfortable with the channels monitoring their private lives,” she said."
"Ms. Jourová said as the new rules take effect, countries outside Europe could begin demanding similar data protection measures for their citizens.
“There will be a moment, especially as more and more people in the U.S. find themselves uncomfortable with the channels monitoring their private lives,” she said."
WTF is GDPR?; TechCrunch, January 20, 2018
Natasha Lomas, TechCrunch; WTF is GDPR?
"The EC’s theory is that consumer trust is essential to fostering growth in the digital economy. And it thinks trust can be won by giving users of digital services more information and greater control over how their data is used. Which is — frankly speaking — a pretty refreshing idea when you consider the clandestine data brokering that pervades the tech industry. Mass surveillance isn’t just something governments do.
The General Data Protection Regulation (aka GDPR) was agreed after more than three years of negotiations between the EU’s various institutions.
It’s set to apply across the 28-Member State bloc as of May 25, 2018. That means EU countries are busy transposing it into national law via their own legislative updates (such as the UK’s new Data Protection Bill — yes, despite the fact the country is currently in the process of (br)exiting the EU, the government has nonetheless committed to implementing the regulation because it needs to keep EU-UK data flowing freely in the post-brexit future. Which gives an early indication of the pulling power of GDPR.
Meanwhile businesses operating in the EU are being bombarded with ads from a freshly energized cottage industry of ‘privacy consultants’ offering to help them get ready for the new regs — in exchange for a service fee. It’s definitely a good time to be a law firm specializing in data protection."
"The EC’s theory is that consumer trust is essential to fostering growth in the digital economy. And it thinks trust can be won by giving users of digital services more information and greater control over how their data is used. Which is — frankly speaking — a pretty refreshing idea when you consider the clandestine data brokering that pervades the tech industry. Mass surveillance isn’t just something governments do.
The General Data Protection Regulation (aka GDPR) was agreed after more than three years of negotiations between the EU’s various institutions.
It’s set to apply across the 28-Member State bloc as of May 25, 2018. That means EU countries are busy transposing it into national law via their own legislative updates (such as the UK’s new Data Protection Bill — yes, despite the fact the country is currently in the process of (br)exiting the EU, the government has nonetheless committed to implementing the regulation because it needs to keep EU-UK data flowing freely in the post-brexit future. Which gives an early indication of the pulling power of GDPR.
Meanwhile businesses operating in the EU are being bombarded with ads from a freshly energized cottage industry of ‘privacy consultants’ offering to help them get ready for the new regs — in exchange for a service fee. It’s definitely a good time to be a law firm specializing in data protection."
Data is the new lifeblood of capitalism – don't hand corporate America control; Guardian, February 1, 2018
Ben Tarnoff, Guardian; Data is the new lifeblood of capitalism – don't hand corporate America control
"Over the past year, a growing number of people have come to realize that data has a dark side. The information revolution has turned out to be something less than total liberation. The digital sphere is not intrinsically democratic; rather, what matters is who owns it and how it’s organized.
The digitization of everything has made this abundantly clear. As more of our lives are made into data, the companies that control that data have grown rich and powerful. It’s not merely that they know so much about us, from our favorite type of toilet paper to our favorite type of porn. It’s that they use what they know to inform algorithmic decisions that have a significant impact on society as a whole –decisions like what kind of news (if any) we consume, or how long we go to prison.
But the stakes are even higher. The emphasis on personal data has obscured the fact that data is not just personal – it’s commercial, industrial, financial. The reason that corporations are so concerned about who controls the packets that flow through the world’s fiber-optic cables is because a vast array of profit-making activities now depends on them."
"Over the past year, a growing number of people have come to realize that data has a dark side. The information revolution has turned out to be something less than total liberation. The digital sphere is not intrinsically democratic; rather, what matters is who owns it and how it’s organized.
The digitization of everything has made this abundantly clear. As more of our lives are made into data, the companies that control that data have grown rich and powerful. It’s not merely that they know so much about us, from our favorite type of toilet paper to our favorite type of porn. It’s that they use what they know to inform algorithmic decisions that have a significant impact on society as a whole –decisions like what kind of news (if any) we consume, or how long we go to prison.
But the stakes are even higher. The emphasis on personal data has obscured the fact that data is not just personal – it’s commercial, industrial, financial. The reason that corporations are so concerned about who controls the packets that flow through the world’s fiber-optic cables is because a vast array of profit-making activities now depends on them."
Amazon patents wristband that tracks warehouse workers' movements; Guardian, January 31, 2018
Olivia Solon, Guardian; Amazon patents wristband that tracks warehouse workers' movements
"Amazon has patented designs for a wristband that can precisely track where warehouse employees are placing their hands and use vibrations to nudge them in a different direction.
The concept, which aims to streamline the fulfilment of orders, adds another layer of surveillance to an already challenging working environment."
"Amazon has patented designs for a wristband that can precisely track where warehouse employees are placing their hands and use vibrations to nudge them in a different direction.
The concept, which aims to streamline the fulfilment of orders, adds another layer of surveillance to an already challenging working environment."
Monday, January 29, 2018
We Shall Overcome’ Is Put in Public Domain in a Copyright Settlement; New York Times, January 26, 2018
Christopher Mele, New York Times; 'We Shall Overcome’ Is Put in Public Domain in a Copyright Settlement
"The settlement was “an enormously important achievement” because others can now use the song without paying for it or seeking permission, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Mark C. Rifkin, said in a telephone interview on Friday night. “We’re really thrilled to be part of an effort to give this song back to the public where it belongs,” he said.
The case is the latest one to cancel the copyright of a time-honored song that many people may well assume was available for anyone to sing: A judge invalidated the copyright on “Happy Birthday to You” in 2015."
"The settlement was “an enormously important achievement” because others can now use the song without paying for it or seeking permission, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Mark C. Rifkin, said in a telephone interview on Friday night. “We’re really thrilled to be part of an effort to give this song back to the public where it belongs,” he said.
The case is the latest one to cancel the copyright of a time-honored song that many people may well assume was available for anyone to sing: A judge invalidated the copyright on “Happy Birthday to You” in 2015."
Friday, January 26, 2018
Exclusive: playwright's estate says The Shape of Water used his work without credit; Guardian, January 25, 2018
Sam Levin, Guardian; Exclusive: playwright's estate says The Shape of Water used his work without credit
"The estate of the Pulitzer-winning playwright Paul Zindel has accused the film The Shape of Water of using the late writer’s work without credit, arguing that Guillermo del Toro’s movie, which is leading in Oscar nominations, was “obviously derived” from a 1969 play.
David Zindel, son of the American playwright, told the Guardian he believes his father’s work Let Me Hear You Whisper, a play about a female janitor in a research laboratory who bonds with a captive dolphin and tries to rescue the creature, is a source of inspiration for The Shape of Water. Del Toro’s film was nominated on Tuesday for 13 Oscars, including best picture, best director and best original screenplay."
"The estate of the Pulitzer-winning playwright Paul Zindel has accused the film The Shape of Water of using the late writer’s work without credit, arguing that Guillermo del Toro’s movie, which is leading in Oscar nominations, was “obviously derived” from a 1969 play.
David Zindel, son of the American playwright, told the Guardian he believes his father’s work Let Me Hear You Whisper, a play about a female janitor in a research laboratory who bonds with a captive dolphin and tries to rescue the creature, is a source of inspiration for The Shape of Water. Del Toro’s film was nominated on Tuesday for 13 Oscars, including best picture, best director and best original screenplay."
Grumpy Cat Awarded $710,000 In Copyright Infringement Suit; NPR, January 25, 2018
Scott Neuman, NPR; Grumpy Cat Awarded $710,000 In Copyright Infringement Suit
"In the end, the jury sided with Grumpy Cat, awarding $710,000 for copyright and trademark infringement and $1 for breach of contract, Courthouse News says."
"In the end, the jury sided with Grumpy Cat, awarding $710,000 for copyright and trademark infringement and $1 for breach of contract, Courthouse News says."
What's behind the soaring cost of college textbooks; CBSNews.com, January 26, 2018
Kathy Kristof, CBSNews.com;
"Notably, a movement is growing to provide copyright-free open-access text books. But these programs have been adopted at only 6 percent of schools. Open-access course materials are peer-reviewed, easily customizable and can include textbooks, articles and even sample problems and quizzes -- just like the materials publishers often hide behind paywalls.
"With open educational resources, there are no access codes, and students never lose access to their core content," said Nicole Finkbeiner, associate director of institutional relations for OpenStax, an open-textbooks publisher based at Rice University in Texas. "This enables students to continue to use and refer to their core content as they move forward in their studies, when studying for advancement exams, and in their professional lives, without any additional costs or barriers."
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colorado, has twice introduced legislation would create a national grant program to encourage professors to adopt open-access texts. However, the legislation stalled in the Health and Education Committee."
What's Behind the Soaring Cost of College Textbooks
"Notably, a movement is growing to provide copyright-free open-access text books. But these programs have been adopted at only 6 percent of schools. Open-access course materials are peer-reviewed, easily customizable and can include textbooks, articles and even sample problems and quizzes -- just like the materials publishers often hide behind paywalls.
"With open educational resources, there are no access codes, and students never lose access to their core content," said Nicole Finkbeiner, associate director of institutional relations for OpenStax, an open-textbooks publisher based at Rice University in Texas. "This enables students to continue to use and refer to their core content as they move forward in their studies, when studying for advancement exams, and in their professional lives, without any additional costs or barriers."
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colorado, has twice introduced legislation would create a national grant program to encourage professors to adopt open-access texts. However, the legislation stalled in the Health and Education Committee."
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Appeals court vacates decisions that canceled Redskins trademark registrations; USA Today, January 18, 2018
Erik Brady, USA Today; Appeals court vacates decisions that canceled Redskins trademark registrations
"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Thursday vacated decisions that had canceled the Washington NFL team’s federal trademark registrations, officially ending a legal fight that lasted more than 25 years.
Legally speaking, the team won. Culturally speaking, Native American petitioners believe they did."
"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Thursday vacated decisions that had canceled the Washington NFL team’s federal trademark registrations, officially ending a legal fight that lasted more than 25 years.
Legally speaking, the team won. Culturally speaking, Native American petitioners believe they did."
Kitty Perry and the copyright lessons for seven-year-olds; BBC News, January 17, 2018
Brian Wheeler, BBC News;
"The Intellectual Property Office is leading the government's efforts to crack down on internet piracy and protect the revenues of Britain's creative industries.
Kitty Perry and the copyright lessons for seven-year-olds
"The Intellectual Property Office is leading the government's efforts to crack down on internet piracy and protect the revenues of Britain's creative industries.
The government agency is spending £20,000 of its own money on the latest Nancy campaign, which is part-funded by the UK music industry.
Catherine Davies, head of the IPO's education outreach department, which already produces teaching materials for GCSE students, admitted IP was a "complex subject" for small children and something of a challenge to make accessible and entertaining...
"A basic understanding of IP and a respect for others' IP rights is therefore a key life skill."
But some fear the IPO is being too heavy-handed in its warnings about piracy and that the message could backfire.
Jim Killock, director of the Open Rights Group campaign, said: "Some of the material seems misleading, in particular the episode explaining that downloading is the same as stealing from a shop."
How AI and copyright would work; Tech Crunch, January 9, 2018
Dave Davis, Tech Crunch;
"The real problem of self-aware AI generating original content with intent has not arrived (yet). But it may, and it is interesting to think about.
The core question about AI-generated works is: Can AI-generated works be reasonably construed as original expression, even though there’s no person behind the work doing the expressing?"
How AI and copyright would work
"The real problem of self-aware AI generating original content with intent has not arrived (yet). But it may, and it is interesting to think about.
The core question about AI-generated works is: Can AI-generated works be reasonably construed as original expression, even though there’s no person behind the work doing the expressing?"
Copyright Week 2018: Join Us in Fighting for Better Copyright Law and Policy; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), January 15, 2018
Katharine Trendacosta, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF);
"We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are taking on different elements of copyright law and policy, and addressing what's at stake, and what we need to do to make sure that copyright promotes creativity and innovation."
Copyright Week 2018: Join Us in Fighting for Better Copyright Law and Policy
"We're taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are taking on different elements of copyright law and policy, and addressing what's at stake, and what we need to do to make sure that copyright promotes creativity and innovation."
Primary school children need to learn about intellectual property, Government agency says ; Telegraph, January 20, 2018
Camilla Turner, Telegraph;
Primary school children need to learn about intellectual property, Government agency says
"Primary school children should be taught about copyright law and intellectual property amid a rise in social media, a Government agency has said.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a raft of teaching resources and videos aimed at helping children aged seven to 11 learn about piracy, patents and trademarks.
Catherine Davies, head of the IPO’s education outreach department, said that children start using technology and social media at an increasingly young age, so by the time they are teenagers it is already too late to teach them about respecting copyright laws."
Every College Student's Dream: An 8 AM Class On Patents; Wired, January 20, 2018
David Kline, Wired; Every College Student's Dream: An 8 AM Class On Patents
[Kip Currier: Money quote from this Wired article making a very persuasive quantitative and qualitative argument for more Intellectual Property (IP) undergraduate courses--
"Nor is there any doubt that IP plays a pivotal role in powering today’s knowledge economy, where intangible assets such as IP represent more than 80 percent of the market value of all publicly traded companies. Indeed, intellectual-property-intensive industries now account for a surprising 38.2 percent of total US GDP, according to a recent US Department of Commerce report. That’s more than $6 trillion a year, more than the GDP of any other nation except China. IP-based industries are also responsible for 30 percent, of national employment, or roughly 40 million jobs.
Yet despite IP's enormous role in the US economy, few universities offer any sort of course on IP to undergraduates. Among the first is the University of Southern California, which last fall launched a course on the basic workings of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. The new course, through the Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies within USC’s Marshall School of Business, aims to train tomorrow’s leaders in the skills they need to navigate our increasingly IP-driven economy...
[Kip Currier: Money quote from this Wired article making a very persuasive quantitative and qualitative argument for more Intellectual Property (IP) undergraduate courses--
"...IP literacy is not just for lawyers anymore."
As a related aside: Reflecting an increasing student desire and need for IP education, two out of every three terms per academic year since 2009, I've been teaching an IP elective course to graduate students at Pitt's School of Information Sciences (now the School of Computing and Information).
Additionally, in IP guest talks I've given for undergraduate students participating in Pitt's groundbreaking iSchool Inclusion Institute, it's been exciting to see first-hand many students' interest in augmenting their IP awareness...as well as more and more students creating and leveraging their own IP works!]
"Nor is there any doubt that IP plays a pivotal role in powering today’s knowledge economy, where intangible assets such as IP represent more than 80 percent of the market value of all publicly traded companies. Indeed, intellectual-property-intensive industries now account for a surprising 38.2 percent of total US GDP, according to a recent US Department of Commerce report. That’s more than $6 trillion a year, more than the GDP of any other nation except China. IP-based industries are also responsible for 30 percent, of national employment, or roughly 40 million jobs.
Yet despite IP's enormous role in the US economy, few universities offer any sort of course on IP to undergraduates. Among the first is the University of Southern California, which last fall launched a course on the basic workings of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets. The new course, through the Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies within USC’s Marshall School of Business, aims to train tomorrow’s leaders in the skills they need to navigate our increasingly IP-driven economy...
Put another way, just as tech literacy was once a requirement only for IT specialists but is now considered almost as essential as verbal literacy, IP literacy is not just for lawyers anymore.
All of which calls to mind that scene from the 1967 movie The Graduate, when Mr. McGuire (Walter Brooke) offers career advice to a young Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman)?
“Plastics!” he says. “There’s a great future in plastics.”
Half a century later, USC is demonstrating that intellectual property has become the new watchword for almost any career of the future."
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Brain Power Pays Off With Japan’s Intellectual Property Exports; Bloomberg, January 15, 2018
Connor Cislo, Bloomberg; Brain Power Pays Off With Japan’s Intellectual Property Exports
"Given the importance of IP to their economies, Japan and other advanced nations such as the U.S. are trying to strengthen protections in this area.
"Given the importance of IP to their economies, Japan and other advanced nations such as the U.S. are trying to strengthen protections in this area.
Japan nearly saw its preferred IP protection regime realized in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, until President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the agreement threw the pact's future into doubt.
The remaining 11 TPP members have suspended multiple IP-related provisions from the original agreement. Meanwhile, another large trade deal championed by China, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, doesn’t address IP to the satisfaction of Japanese businesses."
Monday, January 15, 2018
Parsing the patents: CMU seeking clear answers on AI in workforce; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 15, 2018
Daniel Moore, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Parsing the patents: CMU seeking clear answers on AI in workforce
"...[T]here has been sparse research into what local governments and foundations can do to cushion the blow of technology: Precisely where, how and in what professions will some of the biggest disruptors — driven by artificial intelligence — roll out first?
"...[T]here has been sparse research into what local governments and foundations can do to cushion the blow of technology: Precisely where, how and in what professions will some of the biggest disruptors — driven by artificial intelligence — roll out first?
“The advantage of our approach is you can see in a very granular way, where these inventions are emerging,” said Lee Branstetter, a CMU professor of economics and public policy leading the new study that is relying in part of patent filings. “And how this is all changing over time.”
The research is one of two projects awarded a total of $550,000 from the Heinz Endowments, which is marking the launch of its Future of Work initiative...
Put together, patents can be used to visualize where artificial intelligence is making gains. The idea is to display artificial intelligence shifts on a map that shows different regions and industries."
Monday, August 28, 2017
Jack Kirby’s 100 Coolest Comic Book Creations; Comic Book Resources, August 28, 2017
Brian Cronin, Comic Book Resources; Jack Kirby’s 100 Coolest Comic Book Creations
"Today would have been the 100th birthday of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby. Comic book fans and creators from all over the world are spending today sharing their favorite memories on social media about the comic book icon. When we were thinking of ways to celebrate his tremendous impact on the world of comic books, we realized that one of the easiest ways to visualize Kirby’s impact was just to list 100 of his coolest comic book creations. So that’s just what we’re going to do. We’re going to alphabetically list 100 amazingly awesome comic book creations by Jack “The King” Kirby and we’re combing characters as much as possible, so this could easily be waaaaaaay over 100 (the X-Men, for instance, are just one entry when they could easily be six between Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Angel and Iceman). Enjoy!"
"Today would have been the 100th birthday of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby. Comic book fans and creators from all over the world are spending today sharing their favorite memories on social media about the comic book icon. When we were thinking of ways to celebrate his tremendous impact on the world of comic books, we realized that one of the easiest ways to visualize Kirby’s impact was just to list 100 of his coolest comic book creations. So that’s just what we’re going to do. We’re going to alphabetically list 100 amazingly awesome comic book creations by Jack “The King” Kirby and we’re combing characters as much as possible, so this could easily be waaaaaaay over 100 (the X-Men, for instance, are just one entry when they could easily be six between Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Angel and Iceman). Enjoy!"
Friday, August 25, 2017
United States: Even Bambi Is A Trade Secret: Eastern District Of Texas Finds That Lineage And Genetic Information Of Deer Are Trade Secrets, Grants Preliminary Injunction; Mondaq, August 22, 2017
Michael D. Weil and Tierra Piens, Mondaq; United States: Even Bambi Is A Trade Secret: Eastern District Of Texas Finds That Lineage And Genetic Information Of Deer Are Trade Secrets, Grants Preliminary Injunction
"Earlier this year, the North American Deer Registry (NADR) filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Texas alleging trade secrets misappropriation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) and the Oklahoma Uniform Trade Secrets Act. Specifically, NADR alleged that its vendor, DNA Solutions (DNAS), retained NADR's trade secret information, the contents of the database, after the conclusion of their contractual relationship.
NADR hired DNAS to process the genetic information of various deer, perform genetic matching services, and host a database that eventually contained information on 230,000 deer. The contractual agreement contained a "Return of Information" provision that required DNAS to return "all NADR and NADR member Information, Biological Materials, Genetic Information and Genotype Data" at the conclusion of their contractual relationship. The contract expired on January 1, 2017. Per the contract, DNAS returned the information regarding the deer in NADR's registry, but DNAS admittedly retained a duplicate of the information."
"Earlier this year, the North American Deer Registry (NADR) filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Texas alleging trade secrets misappropriation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) and the Oklahoma Uniform Trade Secrets Act. Specifically, NADR alleged that its vendor, DNA Solutions (DNAS), retained NADR's trade secret information, the contents of the database, after the conclusion of their contractual relationship.
NADR hired DNAS to process the genetic information of various deer, perform genetic matching services, and host a database that eventually contained information on 230,000 deer. The contractual agreement contained a "Return of Information" provision that required DNAS to return "all NADR and NADR member Information, Biological Materials, Genetic Information and Genotype Data" at the conclusion of their contractual relationship. The contract expired on January 1, 2017. Per the contract, DNAS returned the information regarding the deer in NADR's registry, but DNAS admittedly retained a duplicate of the information."
You can’t trademark yellow, Cheerios; , August 25, 2017
Cody Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio; You can’t trademark yellow, Cheerios
"The Cheerios’ shade of yellow isn’t “inherently distinctive” enough to qualify for a trademark, the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled this week.
General Mills had spent the past two years trying to trademark “the color yellow appearing as the predominant uniform background color” on Cheerios boxes, Ars Technica reports.
Turns out the Cheerios yellow is just too average. For intellectual-property regulators to deem a color trademark-able, consumers must consider it to have a certain “distinctiveness.”"
"The Cheerios’ shade of yellow isn’t “inherently distinctive” enough to qualify for a trademark, the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled this week.
General Mills had spent the past two years trying to trademark “the color yellow appearing as the predominant uniform background color” on Cheerios boxes, Ars Technica reports.
Turns out the Cheerios yellow is just too average. For intellectual-property regulators to deem a color trademark-able, consumers must consider it to have a certain “distinctiveness.”"
New Balance wins record China trademark award; BBC, August 24, 2017
BBC; New Balance wins record China trademark award
"A Chinese court awarded the US sportswear firm more than 10 million yuan (£1.2m; $1.5m).
"A Chinese court awarded the US sportswear firm more than 10 million yuan (£1.2m; $1.5m).
Lawyers believe it to be the highest award to a foreign company in a trademark dispute in China.
The country has been tightening its laws to tackle the widespread problem of trademark abuse."
China says will tighten controls over intellectual property theft; Reuters, August 24, 2017
Reuters; China says will tighten controls over intellectual property theft
"China will tighten controls over intellectual property to provide better opportunities for foreign firms, the commerce ministry said on Friday.
The government’s crackdown on intellectual property violations will focus on trademark registration abuse and business secret theft, Wang Shouwen, a vice commerce minister told reporters at a press briefing in Beijing, adding that China’s IP protection was “not perfect” as a developing country.
U.S. President Donald Trump this month authorized an inquiry into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property -- the first direct trade measure by his administration against Beijing."
"China will tighten controls over intellectual property to provide better opportunities for foreign firms, the commerce ministry said on Friday.
The government’s crackdown on intellectual property violations will focus on trademark registration abuse and business secret theft, Wang Shouwen, a vice commerce minister told reporters at a press briefing in Beijing, adding that China’s IP protection was “not perfect” as a developing country.
U.S. President Donald Trump this month authorized an inquiry into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property -- the first direct trade measure by his administration against Beijing."
Here’s a test: What’s your copyright IQ?; AZBIGMEDIA, August 24, 2017
Andrew A. Gonzalez, AZBIGMEDIA; Here’s a test: What’s your copyright IQ?
"Dangerous myths about copyright law …
"Dangerous myths about copyright law …
MYTH: If it doesn’t have a copyright notice, it’s not copyrighted.
FALSE. In the USA, almost everything created after April 1989 is copyrighted and protected whether it has a notice or not. The default you should assume for other people’s works is that they are copyrighted and may not be copied unless you know otherwise.
MYTH: It is okay to copy as long as you give proper credit to the author/artist.
FALSE. If you copy an original writing, graphic, song, or other work without permission, you are guilty of copyright infringement. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act [DMCA] restricts access to or distribution of copyrighted material. Violators may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
MYTH: I goofed and used someone’s graphic on my web page without realizing that it is copyrighted, but I cannot be sued as long as it was an honest mistake.
FALSE. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Copyright law does not care about your “intent”, only that you have infringed work of another.
MYTH: It is okay to use less than 10% of someone’s work.
FALSE. Although it may be permissible to use limited portions of a work for limited purposes, there is no rule permitting a certain percentage of the work to be reproduced, distributed, performed or translated."
Will TPP-11 Nations Escape the Copyright Trap?; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), August 23, 2017
Jyoti Panday, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF); Will TPP-11 Nations Escape the Copyright Trap?
"Latest reports confirm that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is being revived. The agreement had been shelved following the withdrawal of the U.S. from the negotiation process. Over the past year, countries eager to keep the pact alive have continued dialogue and rallied support of less enthusiastic members to move forward with the agreement without the U.S. A revised framework is expected to be proposed for approval at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) TPP-11 Ministerial Meeting in November.
We had previously reported the remaining eleven nations (TPP-11) had launched a process to assess options and consensus on how the agreement should be brought into force. A recent statement by New Zealand's Prime Minister suggests that countries favor an approach that seeks to replicate TPP provisions with minimal number of changes."
"Latest reports confirm that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is being revived. The agreement had been shelved following the withdrawal of the U.S. from the negotiation process. Over the past year, countries eager to keep the pact alive have continued dialogue and rallied support of less enthusiastic members to move forward with the agreement without the U.S. A revised framework is expected to be proposed for approval at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) TPP-11 Ministerial Meeting in November.
We had previously reported the remaining eleven nations (TPP-11) had launched a process to assess options and consensus on how the agreement should be brought into force. A recent statement by New Zealand's Prime Minister suggests that countries favor an approach that seeks to replicate TPP provisions with minimal number of changes."
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